GULF war veteran Paul Connolly has taken another step forward in his 12-year fight for a pension.

Last week Paul met with his former customer support manager for Service and Repair Sue Gaskell and Woking MP Humfrey Malins at the House of Commons to manoeuvre his case forward. Mrs Gaskell has provided a statement regarding Paul, which the MP will pass to the Ministry of Defence. Mr Malins said: “It is another piece in the jigsaw. Evidence has come forward.” Paul said: “With the help and support of the people around me hopefully this information will bring about the result that I’ve been battling for, for so many years.” This comes in the wake of news that Shaun Rusling, a former Parachute Regiment medical officer had won his appeal court hearing against the Ministry of Defence, where the judge ruled he was a victim of a condition attributable to his Gulf War service. Last month Alex Izett’s success story also hit the headlines. The former soldier had claimed a disability pension arguing his osteoporosis and arthritis were as a result of vaccinations he received while preparing to go to the Gulf in 1991. Paul Connolly claims that his renal failure is Gulf War induced. He maintains he had no history of ill health prior to the conflict. He receives regular life-saving dialysis treatment at Woking Community Hospital and maintains his kidney failure is due to contact with depleted uranium while being stationed in the Gulf. He is back on dialysis after his transplanted kidney failed in November. Paul worked in a civilian capacity as a service engineer for cooling systems. He was employed for Howden Air Control in Staines before being deployed to the Gulf in 1990. Paul worked alongside serving soldiers in the ground forces in the Gulf and was among the first troops to arrive on the scene of the devastating battle when the Allies cut off the retreating Iraqi forces fleeing Kuwait. “I receive renal dialysis three times a week at Woking Community Hospital as my kidneys don’t work anymore. The treatment keeps me alive,” said Paul. He said: “I am thrilled about Shaun’s news. We are asking for money because we are all people who are suffering. It’s sad that it’s 12 years after the event.”